Proposal would put chapel in the Capitol

Topeka  When legislators return next week they will consider a proposal to set aside space in the Statehouse for an all-faiths chapel.

House Majority Leader Arlen Siegfreid, R-Olathe, has proposed a place “reserved for prayer and meditation in the state Capitol building.”

Siegfreid’s House Bill 2694 says that belief in God, prayer and meditation have played a significant part in the history of the United States and Kansas.

A hearing on his bill is scheduled Wednesday and Thursday before the House Federal and State Affairs Committee.

Asked about the proposal Friday, several legislators said it could raise some legal issues.

“A lot of us pray here, constantly,” said Senate Republican Leader Jay Scott Emler, R-Lindsborg. But he said legislators would need to get a legal opinion on whether they could put a chapel in the Capitol.

House Democratic Leader Paul Davis of Lawrence said he didn’t think putting a chapel in the Statehouse was necessary. He noted that there are several large churches across the street from the Capitol.

Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka said that Gov. George Docking, who was governor from 1957 to 1961, vetoed putting a chapel in the Statehouse because he suspected legislators would hide their whiskey in it.

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Comments

"Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka said that Gov. George Docking, who was governor from 1957-61, vetoed putting a chapel in the Statehouse because he suspected legislators would hide their whiskey in it."

That and probably a whole lot more based on some of the decisions these people make somedays.

You can pray/meditate wherever you freaking please. If you have to have a chapel in the Statehouse in order to pray, you have a big problem. What is wrong with you people?

Not to speak of the legal ramifications. I've said it before and I will keep saying it: Any time you don't keep church and state separate, both church and state suffer. Look at history---any history. What do you think led to (godless) communism in the Soviet Union? Look at the century's long rule by the church/state and the abuses. Look at the Roman Catholic Church in Europe and what that led to.

My thoughts exactly. I would like to add, I thought the state was hurting for money? Who is going to pay for this unconstitutional addition? The odds are real good that it will be struck down in the courts.

Oh, that is right, the republicans are trying to take over the court so that only they can change the laws to suite them instead of the American history of the lady holding the balance in their hand. The republicans doesn't want fairness and right and wrong. Right is only a republican power. They want total dictatorship type of control over the people. If they can't have total power of the people, then they want to change the law until they do have a dictatorship!

I guess I would argue that the power of a legislator's prayer may outweigh their power to make the world perfect through legislation. Sometimes private decision making is more important that public lawmaking.

Hopefully, they will install a prayer tower for the Oral Roberts set, a minaret for the Islamic Faith, a Buddihst monastery, a Jewish Temple, a ban on the cattle industry for the Hindi Faith, and a free thinking space for the agnostics and atheists.

"House Majority Leader Arlen Siegfreid, R-Olathe, has proposed a place 'reserved for prayer and meditation in the state Capitol building.'"

That's a great idea. They can stock the chapel with Bibles so that members of the House can actually read them. Here's a little passage that's bound to make some representatives squirm: "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

Sorry guys, but if you take a peek at the Bible, you'll see that Jesus doesn't actually like hypocrisy, greed, or bigotry. And then there's that camel through the eye of a needle parable that somehow you're going to have to refute.

Since this wasnt part of the capitol renovation plans and since they are already way over budget, how is this a good idea? There are at least a half dozen churches within 2 or 3 blocks of the capitol building. These are a bunch of lazy bastards if they can't walk that far for their prayers. Some faiths don't allow their members to pray with people who are not members of that faith, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is but one example. Scheduling times for separate prayer sessions may be a problem.

They don't really want a place to pray; this will just stir up the religious fanatics in the state who don't believe in separation of church and state. Will this chapel be open to atheists for want to meet to discuss the lies of intelligent design? My only real point is this is a bad idea.

why is it wrong? I believe Thomas Jefferson sponsored bill to allow worship services at the capitol. What part of the constitution do you believe this violates? Legislators have a constitutional right to worship and pray as they see fit--read the constitution--we all have freedom of religion not freedom from religion.

Then you can pay for it. What happened to cutting the budget? What happened to fiscal responsibility? Why do they need a chapel to pray in? What's wrong with the office they already have? Why are your posts all misspelled and ignorant?

No one is preventing the legislators from worshipping/praying-they just don't need a seperate room to do so. They each have office space and/or nearby churches-use those. "Freedom of religion" also includes the right to abstain from it as well as not having it imposed upon you.

I believe it was in Mississippi a few years ago where their Supreme Court building had stones with the 10 Commandments inscribed upon them removed from their grounds after being found unconstitutional. If so, what makes you believe there is a constitutional right to have a chapel in the capitol building? In these economic times, no less?

You don't know that--you just are making assumptions--there is a great deal of positives about our legislators praying to God before they pass some of these bills! Maybe if we had more prayer and less legislation we might be more free!

What kind of Christians are these? They can pray anywhere they want. Why do they need a chapel? It's the economy stupid. The world is not going to end in December of this year. Let's try moving forward to the future. Let's start taking care of the Earth god gave us to care for. Prayer isn't going to get you to heaven. God is going to be hacked off when he finds out what you did to the less fortunate and to the environment.

Wouldn't it be less of a drain on the state's treasury if, instead of building this proposed chapel, our more religious-minded legislators would simply drop to a knee and "Tebow" when they are overtaken by the desire for ostentatious prayer?

Republican Governor Brownback has balanced the state budget which he inherited from the Democrats with less that 1000.00 dollars in the bank. He is doing a great job setting priorities for Kansas. Spending a small amount on a prayer chapel which money could probably be raised privately is a small amount to pay to get our legislators on their knees recognizing that freedom and liberty are a gift from almighty God!

All states are required by law to have balanced budgets, so balancing the budget is not a spectacular achievement.

And, I don't want any of my tax dollars paying for this chapel, ok? You seem to think that we all have the right to withhold our financial support if we don't approve of the uses of it.

Also, having a chapel will not obligate anyone to use it without force, so to "get our legislators on their knees,..." will require some use of that - I presume you're ok with that, given your numerous posts on religion.

Of course, there's an obvious conflict between force and freedom, which you claim is the goal of religion - how can one become free by being forced by another to do something?

This is the same group that whines and gripes every time the renovation bill climbs. And most of that climbing is due to them adding more conveniences like a big underground garage.

As everyone else has said here, this is about a post card line for the election - "He hates God, he voted against a chapel in the capitol!" - and false piety - "I can get a picture of me praying in the capitol chapel! They will know I love God and vote for me!"

You are attacking religion--because construction of a chapel would not violate the separation of church and state and you also do not know that all prayer at the chapel would be an act of hypocrisy--perhaps some of it would be a recognition of God--the author of freedom!

Most of the born agains I've ever met have only read what a preacher tells them to, and the preacher tells them what they want them to understand. That's what the Bible study classes in these radical churches are all about. The "leader" picks out what they read, then tells them how they should "interpret" it. Don't ask them to read the Bible by themselves. It might blow their minds.

Born again can be used as either a noun or adjective. Hence, you could be saying you are a person who has been reborn as an Ameican, or you are both a "born again" Christian and an American. However, the socially understood meaning is related to a certain type of Christian. "Born-Again...Part of speech : adjective .
Definition : relating to or denoting a person who has converted to a personal faith in Christ (with reference to John 3:3): .
Example : a born-again Christian . Part of speech : noun .
Definition : a born-again Christian .
( chiefly North American )
born-again, converted, reborn (adj) "
http://www.definition-of.net/born-again
Based on your postings, one can also infer that you are a conservative Christian, since you appear to share many viewpoints consistent with fundamentalist Christianity.

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Kansanjayhawk and BornAgainAmerica: See you folks got together for a Kool-Aid party prior to the big game! What is your flavor today, bitter lemon or sour grape! I'd suggest you go to the aspirin/contraception controversy and tick off your female constituents. "God bless us all, each and every one" C. Dickens

Ha ha ha ha ha!
Just goes to show that conservatives are not small government. Where will the money come from?
Dear god, please save us from your followers.
Yet another roflmao
Keep it up, a Santorum nomination can't be too far behind.

First and foremost, our Governor and all the other elected officials need to stop this religious campaign. Although many KS residents are spiritual and monotheistic, there are many residents that are atheist or do not ascribe to any particular religion. Just like folks that are members of the mainstream religious cults find it offensive if their religion is attacked, atheist and non-practicing individuals find it offensive when religion takes center stage and we as citizens have to tolerate the proselytizing about god and how those that believe in god are divinely guided.

A structure, or in this case, a room in a building does not make a spiritual person.

Secondly, the elected officials need to stop wasting time with issues that have nothing to do with government functions.

Folks, please do not fall for these tactics of smoke screening elected officials inability to perform in their position or cover up shady dealings.

If he wants a place to pray and meditate in the Capitol building then fine. Any time he feels the need to do so I encourage him to retreat to the sanctuary of his vehicle in the Capitol parking garage and do just that.

"House Majority Leader Arlen Siegfreid, R-Olathe, has proposed a place “reserved for prayer and meditation in the state Capitol building."

Hey guys, I have this great idea for a rather benign, but fiscally irresponsible project for election year, that's just pointless enough and without tangible harm or benefit to lead to knee-jerk reactions by a lot of people in support or against it, providing us with ammunition to claim that there's a war on Religion currently being conducted.